To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] Indian Magic crabapple and others
Date: Sat, 05 Jan 2008 11:11:31 -0800
akmanty wrote:
> The crabs you mention, how are they for disease resistance, esp. scab
> and fire blight? Indian Magic in particular.
*********************
I want to buy a couple more crabapples so I've just finished doing some
'research' on Indian Magic, Indian Summer, Molten Lava, Summer Tyme and
Scarlet Brandywine.
I have a folder labelled crabapples and from this folder plus some
googling, I found ...
Indian Magic - recommended by Washington State U Cooperative Extn
Bulletin #123(Mt Vernon Research Stn) has 'performed best at Mt Vernon
and is most suited to planting in the cool maritime areas of the Pacific
Northwest'. Pink flowers, bronze red foliage, upright spreading form.
Red fruit turns orange after frost.
Lawyer Nursery in Montana has them (wholesale) on Antonovka and say
Indian Magic will grow to 20'. One source says mid-bloom, the other says
late bloom. J Frank Schmidt & Sons in Oregon says it is 'fair' for
scab, 'good' for cedar apple rust (CAR) and fire blight and 'excellent'
for mildew. Schmidt & Lawyer say the foliage is dark green turning
orange in the Fall.
Fr Fiala ‘Flowering Crabapples’ adds that the fruits are ellipsoid and
persistent until Spring. Moderate disease susceptibility that does not
affect foliage or fruit. There appear to be several clones, some
superior to others. There is a pic showing that it grows as wide as it
grows high and has orange leaves in the fall and is covered in orange
fruits.
Indian Summer is similar and Lawyer Nursery says it is used as a
pollenizer for Honeycrisp. I have my doubts on that because from what
I've been told honeybees are not keen on pink flowers. They prefer white
blossoms or pink buds opening to white flowers. Another source says it
blooms with Red Delicious. In my orchard the honeybees and Blue Orchard
bees swarm over the white-blossomed crabapples (e.g. Snowdrift) and are
hardly noticeable on the 'rosy blooms' (Red Glow, Makamik, Royalty,
Hansen's red-fleshed crab). Indian Summer has 'shiny red 3/4" persistent
fruit which persists (as 'mummies' according to another source) and
flaky bark'. It has large flowers, prolific fruiting and is a rounded
tree. Schmidt says the disease-resistance is 'good' for scab' and
'excellent' for CAR, fire blight, and mildew. WSU recommends it too and
says it is 'upright and spreading'.
Fr Fiala says the fruit are ½” and persistent. Good disease resistance.
A very fine crabapple
Molten Lava - according to Lawyer Nursery: long bloom, white blossoms,
good disease resistance. Unique growing shape?! I think it grows
branches horizontally which become pendulous with brilliant red fruit.
One source says 'very good for scab'. WSU recommends it too and labels
it as 'low' spreading'. It is a Lake County Nursery 'ZAM' Introduction
whatever that means.
Fr Fiala says An excellent broad weeper 12’ high x 15’ wide with
attractive yellow bark in winter; buds carmine-red opening to white
blossoms; fruit brilliant orange-red flowing in cascades like lava and
making a mature tree a showpiece in autumn, fruits persistent. Disease
resistant. One of the showiest weepers on the market today (c1992) and
among the best in heavy fruiting.
Sugar Tyme - according to Lawyer - consistently ranked in the top ten
flowering crabs. Loaded with sugary white spring blooms, crisp green
disease-free foliage, masses of small red fruits persist throughout the
winter. One source says early bloom, the other says mid-bloom. WSU
recommends it too and says it is 'upright and spreading'. This is
another Lake County Nursery 'ZAM' Introduction.
Schmidt says it is 'good' for scab, 'fair' for fire blight, 'excellent'
for CAR and mildew
Fr Fiala says it is an upright oval tree (18’high x 15’ wide). ½” fruits
persistent to January. Mostly disease-resistant. A good showy tree.
Scarlet Brandywine is another Lake County 'ZAM' Introduction propagated
by Lawyer Nursery. Lawyer describes it as having 'masses of scarlet red
double blooms over deep green-tinged burgundy foliage. Unique striped
pumpkin orange 1/2" fruit. Excellent disease-resistance and rounded
habit make this an outstanding ornamental specimen'. This variety is not
mentioned in Fr Fiala’s book and I couldn't find any other reference to
'Scarlet Brandywine' on the web.